Managing hot sweats and fatigue with hormone therapy
Information and resources to manage two common hormone therapy-related side effects
Managing hot sweats and fatigue if you are having hormone therapy.
- Hormone therapy for prostate cancer results in many physical effects.
- Hot sweats and fatigue are two of the most bothersome.
- This page will give you some ideas to help you manage these two side effects.
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Hot sweats
What causes hot sweats?
What causes hot sweats?
- You may hear hot sweats being called:
- Hot flushes
- Hot flashes
- Testosterone is a male sex hormone (an androgen).
- Hormone therapy blocks or lowers the amount of testosterone in your body.
- This causes hot sweats.
- Some types of hormone therapy are more likely to cause hot sweats than others. This can vary between patients.
- You can talk to your healthcare team about hot sweats before you start your therapy.
Visit our dedicated Hormone Injections page to find out more about the risks of hormone therapy injections. Link will open in a new tab.
Visit our dedicated Hormone Tablets page to find out more about the risks of hormone therapy tablets. Link will open in a new tab.
What do hot sweats feel like?
- The feeling can vary between people.
- Many people experience a feeling of heat in the upper body. This often starts in the face or neck.
- Severe hot sweats make you feel very hot and sweaty. You may need a change of clothes.
- Your actual temperature does not usually rise during the sweat.
- You may get reddening of the skin.
- You may feel anxious or irritated.
- Some people may feel their heart:
- Racing
- beating very fast
- pounding or thumping
- fluttering
This is called having palpitations. You shpild contact 111 or 999 immediately if these palpitations:
- Carry on after the hot flush has finished, or
- You begin to feel ill or faint, or
You experience chest pain.
What are night sweats?
- It is quite common to get sweats at night.
- These are called night sweats.
- Night sweats can affect the quality of your sleep.
- You may not realise that this is happening. But you may begin to feel more fatigued during the day.
Do hot sweats start straight away and how long do they last?
- Hot sweats often begin within the first three weeks of starting therapy.
- They may decrease in frequency over time for some.
- Some men say that they get used to hot sweats over time. This means they feel better able to cope with them. Others cope less well.
- A sweat usually lasts about three-to-four minutes but it can be longer for some.
- They can happen six-to-ten times per day and into the night.
What the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence say, and tips to manage your hot sweats
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides guidance on:
- How different conditions should be treated
- What treatments should be made available.
Learn more about NICE and what they do by visiting their website (link will open in a new tab).
NICE has put together guidelines for the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer. This includes:
- The information that your healthcare team should tell you before you decide on a treatment, and
- Support to manage any side effects that you may have after during or after treatment.
Please note that these are just guidelines and are not a legal requirement.
Ask your healthcare team about services available in your area.
Fatigue
What is fatigue?
Fatigue is:
- A feeling of extreme tiredness that doesn’t get better after sleep or rest
A lack of energy and motivation mentally and/or physically.
Fatigue is not the same as the tiredness you may get after staying up late or exercising too much. These are usually helped by sleep and rest.
Why do I feel fatigued?
- Low levels of testosterone.
- Disrupted sleep because of hot sweats.
- Mild anaemia – this means you have fewer red blood cells than normal.
- Mild anaemia is a common symptom of hormone therapy. However, as there may be other causes it is a good idea to visit your GP for a check-up.
Are there different levels of fatigue?
- Fatigue can vary a lot. Everyone is different. You may feel different levels of fatigue on different days.
- Extreme fatigue can sometimes stop you from carrying out your normal activities.
- On good days, you may be able to carry on working or getting involved in social or leisure activities.
- It may be a good idea to keep a diary. You can note down
- When you feel fatigued
- What you are doing
- The time of day
- Your moods and emotions.
- You can share this with your healthcare team.
How will fatigue affect my everyday life?
- You may feel:
- Less motivated
- Frustrated
- Less able to concentrate on anything
- Down and low in mood.
- It may also affect your sex life.
How long does fatigue last?
- Everyone is different. It may last a few months or much longer.
- It can sometimes last for a time after hormone treatment has ended.
What the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence say and tips to manage your fatigue
About this information
- This information was published in July 2024. Date of next review: September 2026.
- References and bibliography available on request.
- If you want to reproduce this content, please see our Reproducing Our Content page (this link will open in a new external tab).
The toolkit is an information resource for people affected by prostate cancer. The development has been funded through an educational grant from Advanced Accelerator Applications (A Novartis Company).
Organisations
Prostate Cancer UK
- Prostate Cancer UK produce a number of ‘how to manage’ guides (link opens in new external tab). These include information on:
- Fatigue
- Problems with peeing (urinary problems)
- Symptoms and side effects of advanced prostate cancer.
- You can also contact one of Prostate Cancer UK‘s specialist nurses for support. They are available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. The number is 0800 074 8383.
- They provide an interactive fatigue diary. This is will open in a new tab and is a PDF so may not be accessible to screen readers. Listen to the fatigue diary You can fill this in and share with your healthcare team.
- They also provide an interactive hot flush diary. This is will open in a new tab and is a PDF so may not be accessible to screen readers. Listen to the hot flush diary You can fill this in and share with your healthcare team.
Cancer Research UK
- Cancer Research UK have a lot of information about fatigue including advice on how to manage and treat your fatigue (link opens in new external tab).
- They also have information on hot sweats (link opens in new external tab).
NHS University Hospitals Plymouth
NHS University Hospitals Plymouth have made a video called ‘Living on Hormones - Managing Side Effects with Exercise’ (link opens in new external tab). The video is about three minutes long. This talks about the benefits of exercise in managing fatigue and hot flushes.
- They have also put together a 21-minute exercise video (link opens in new external tab). The exercises have been designed for men who have little or no experience of exercise. They can be done standing or sitting down. Always speak to your healthcare team before doing any exercises.
Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance (SWAG)
SWAG have a fatigue support page. This explains the three types of fatigue:
- Physical
- Emotional
- Cognitive – the way you concentrate.
It also covers fatigue management and how to access specialist support.
Bath Centre for Fatigue Services (BCFS)
- BCFS provide a national support service.
- The ethos of their service is based on supported self-management.
- Treatment is tailored to your needs.
- Treatment is aimed to support you with everyday life including work.
- Services can be delivered:
- Online
- Over the telephone
- Face-to-face.
Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire Cancer Alliance (SWAG)
- Swag have a useful page all about fatigue and cancer.
- They explain:
- The different types of fatigue.
- How fatigue management can help you.
- How to access support
Videos
Northern Cancer Information Hub
- The Northants Cancer Information Hub is a resource to support the needs of people diagnosed with cancer as well as their relatives and carers.
- The following videos have been produced by the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group.
- Managing fatigue in prostate cancer.
- Managing hot flushes.
Online ADT Educational programme
- This is a free online educational programme to help patients manage hormone therapy side effects. It is run by the European Association of Urology.
- The class is hosted by the following institutions:
- University Hospital Southampton
- The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Wirral
- Guy’s Hospital, London
- St James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- Prostate Cancer UK.
- More information can be found on the Life on Androgen Deprivation Therapy website (link will open in a new external tab).
- You can register for free online.
- UK registration page (this link will open in a new external tab).
About this information
- This information was published in July 2024. Date of next review: September 2026.
- References and bibliography available on request.
- If you want to reproduce this content, please see our Reproducing Our Content page (this link will open in a new external tab).
The toolkit is an information resource for people affected by prostate cancer. The development has been funded through an educational grant from Advanced Accelerator Applications (A Novartis Company).
